Swollen Udder... Is she pregnant?

[stellabella]

Hello,

I purchased a mini mare in August of last year. She lives with my small herd of goats and occasionally visits one other farm to have her feet trimmed.

I was giving her a bath this week and was extremely surprised to find that her udder is swollen. She was very upset about me touching her flanks and belly as well at trying to clean her udder.

She is 15yrs, 32 in. and on the chubby side. She has been on a strict "diet" all winter in hopes of keeping her girlish figure but in my opinion she hasn't lost and ounce and her belly IS getting bigger. And I have never seen her come into heat, but I just assumed it was because she wasn't aground other horses.

So, I have owned her for 7 months.... is there a chance i bought her pregnant?? I am concerned because I have no idea if she has ever had a foal before and I have no idea what she was bred to.... or when she may be due.

(Is there any way to see if she has foaled by her registration info?)

I am going to have the vet out for spring shots and she what their opinion is. I had planned to start working her this week and get her fit to drive this summer, but i guess that plan is on hold for the moment.

Any input or support is appreciated

Thank You. I will try to get some pics up tomorrow.

 

[Genie]

I am assuming you don't know what other horses there were from the place she lived?

There is a way to see what foals she has had in her past, assuming they were registered. I don't have the know how to get that for you, but others on here would.

Good luck and if her udder is swollen now then she would be getting close. I guess you haven't felt foal movement.

I can't think what else would cause a swollen udder.

 

[Jean A]

Have to keep an eye on those goats...

 

[stellabella]

So I went out this afternoon to see if I could feel any fetal movement. She is a very ticklish mare and any time i put pressure under her belly she would jump. It was really hard to distinguish weather it was just her being ticklish or internal movement. I looked back at the pictures when I bought her and she was definitely much thinner. Her belly has "dropped" in the past two weeks I would say. I know she is not as big as some preggo minis but she never had that "baby bump" look before.

 

[supaspot]

when you say swollen do you mean its soft but has milk in or that the mammary glands are hard ? what shape size texture was her udder when you first got her ? if she has foaled before she may have a permanent small bag even if shes not pregnant , looking at your pics I would get her scanned ;-)

 

[stellabella]

It is puffy and soft and loose. It is very puffy in front of her udder as well. Not hard, tight, and full yet. I have milked goats for years but never had the experience of a bred mare. I have heard many horror stories of birthing mini's and I actually hope she is not bred. She will go to the vets next week so we know for sure and can be prepared if necessary.

*Excuse her strange clip job and winter fuzzies.*

 

[Windhaven]

Do you know anything about the farm she came from? If they had a stallion or colt?

From your pictures she does look like she could be pregnant. I would expect, if she is, you still have at least a couple of months yet.

The best thing would be to have her ultrasounded or palpated (vets can feel a foal is she is as far along without doing an ultrasound).

And yes if the foals were registered you could look her up in the stud books to find out if she has any foals.

Good luck and let us know what you find out.

 

[wildoak]

She certainly could be.. any way you can find out from previous owners what her history is, or whether she was run with a stallion or even a young colt? Good your vet is coming, I'd sure have her looked at. There can be problems with mini mares foaling, but lots of them do just fine. If she is in foal you will just need to gather up foaling supplies and start keeping a really close eye on her.

Jan

 

[Bonny]

Any way you could get pictures of her udder? I find when you hold the camera at the knee level and point it right up at the udder its a good view. It would also give you something to compare to over the next few months

Such as this...

after weaning, 4 months preg:



a month from foaling:



and day before foaling, it got progressively tighter and fuller in 24 hrs

 

[stellabella]

Her registered name is "Shamrock's Stormy Surprise" I would love any info you find. She is Chestnut with a star. 32' 15-16yrs (The mini in my profile pic) If that helps you any. Thank You!!

 

[stellabella]

Her udder looks very similar to the first picture Bonny posted. With the puffiness/swelling in front of her teats. Now that I am keeping a close eye on her I swear her belly is growing by the day.

Such as this...

after weaning, 4 months preg:

 

[Bonny]

It might be helpful to get a wee foal 120. That would tell you if she is pregnant. Less reliable after day 300, but by then she *should* have a more convincing udder

I have one maiden mare whose udder is very similar to that picture year round..She a very easy keeper lol!

 

[Barnmother]

I couldn't find a listing under that name in AMHR, I am guessing she must be AMHA.

 

[Becky]

She is AMHA registered and has no registered foals listed.

 

[Windhaven]

She has no foals listed with the AMHA.

That also doesn't mean she hasn't had any. They might have not been registered.